June 2024
Ruby found the good light at our morning trip to Micke Grove Zoo.
You know that friend that is just OBSESSED with something and wont shut up about it? Ya, that’s me and Threads. I love that place so much for the people I have met and the way I have grown as a person/photographer.
Out of Arizona is Jake Case Photo, who specializes in the desert landscapes and architecture. He’s also got a photo book that’s currently available for pre-order over here. Besides the beautiful photos he’s putting out on a daily basis with captions that educate or inspire, he’s also always out there just cheering everyone on.You can catch him reposting his favor work with wild abandon and noting “BANGER” when really excited.
The best way he’s inspired me and so many others is through his Month Photo Recap. I started it a little late this year, but it’s quickly become my favorite way to look back at the last month and see all the wins/losses. I love sharing the images, but each one has a story that is limited by characters of social media.
Which brings us here. To the blog where I have unlimited amount of space and time.
Freedom
Believe it or not this beach was just packed. There was a wedding arch behind, a guy fishing with his dog running around at his feet to the left, a group huddled around a bonfire…basically chaos.
Edgar Allen Dove
There is something so dark and sinister about these beautiful mourning doves. I was on my way to take photos of the new plants growing in my garden and noticed them hiding in the leaves. Lily, my dog noticed them after only a few snaps. I thought the images to be a waste until I converted them to black and white and they took on a whole victorian diorama feeling.
Bay Area Pride
Made by Mocha invited me to join her at Bay Area Pride’s first inaugural event at Great America in Santa Clara. They hired tons of local talent to come out and perform, capping off the afternoon with a special performace by Red Corvette a Prince tribute band. The colors in the image are all created in camera using a flag that was hanging on the stage!
Summer
From one of our many evening walks. As we came upon this house, the sprinklers came on and she abandoned her scooter to go refresh herself. Images like these, that capture the essence of childhood and summer bring me the most joy.
Enchanted Castle
Unusual to include two from the same day and the light on June 1st was just too pretty to ignore. Taken from Buena Vista (good view lol) Park in San Francisco, the layers make this church feel a bit like an enchanted castle from a story book.
The McCleans
Beyond grateful to get to capture the wedding for Bradley and Rebecca this month at the Peacock Gap Golf Course in San Rafael. After 8 years together, the wedding itself was just a formality. Technially that glow in her eyes is the catchlights from the sun….but I think it’s love. See more of their wedding on the last blog post!
The Swings
Couldn’t not include a Macro image this month. This one was inspired by Stephen Vanasco and his dandelions. The structure on them is so delicate and he managed to get them so crisp. Unfortunately the dandelions at my park were mowed over. The dill in my backyard (or Queen Anne’s Lace possibly- I’m bad at plants) was MUCH larger and easier to handle. Something about this image reminded me of swings at the fair.
RuRu
Checking out the birds in the enclosure at Micke Grove Zoo in Lodi. She’s a wild child and the image of her jumping with the sign that says “do not feed the animals” could have been the choice for this one. And there is something in the way she is pursing her lips and contemplating what is going on around her.
Lindy by the Lake
Stopped in Oakland yesterday for breakfast and needed a little walk after which is when I stumbled upon Lindy by the Lake. It happens every other weekend, put on entirely through donations. Saturday was their 6th anniversary and was packed with people doing their best swing!
Gizmo Times Two
Last but not least, Gizmo! The newest addition to the family! She stole our hearts with a few little yelps a week ago and I don’t think she’s planning on giving it back. She’s got free reign of the house now, distributing fleas to EVERYONE, along with just the most playful attitude. The cat distribution system can’t be argued with.
The McCleans - Peacock Gap Golf Course
Just past San Francisco, on the other side of the Bay is San Rafael and the Peacock Gap Golf Course where Rebecca and Bradley McClean united their families with a stunning dusty blue and lemon yellow French country theme. The gold candlesticks paired with the real lemons created a luxurious and fresh atmosphere.
The Details
Just past San Francisco, on the other side of the Bay is San Rafael and the Peacock Gap Golf Course where Rebecca and Bradley McClean united their families with a stunning dusty blue and lemon yellow French country theme. The gold candlesticks paired with the real lemons created a luxurious and fresh atmosphere.
Getting Ready
Rebecca and Bradley opted for a truly traditional wedding, choosing to not do a first look. This gave them plenty of time for to hang out with their friends and family prior to their ceremony.
Bradley and his TEN groomsmen grew up watching boxing matches huddled around a TV and stacked on couches and floors or apparently in each other's laps. I loved how affectionate and considerate they were to each other all while watching two men beat each other. Mom pulled me aside and told me that these were some of her favorite memories, watching them hang out and grow up together. She specifically requested an image of her watching the boys but the one of her smiling and surrounded by the men is what gives me a mini time machine.
Ceremony and Cocktail Hour
After eight years together, Bradley said that this was really more a formality, joking they felt like an old married couple already. Every couple has their own special and unique way of curating how they do their wedding and my favorite trend of late is private vows. Besides keeping your ceremony short, they let you have the much more emotional moments privately.
While the couple snuck off, cocktail hour was in full swing. Guests were treated with instant ice packs to help cool them down while waiting for cocktails,
Reception
Grand entrances, toasts, garter and bouquet toss, cake cutting, first dances….so many moments so little time!
Portraits
It’s incredibly gross how many compliments I will give you when we do portraits. I apologize in advance, but the light will make your skin glow, your eyes shine and I will fall in love. Which is exactly what happened with Rebecca’s nose. I told her she has the most perfect nose. To my great surprise, instead of being totally weirded out, she laughed and said, “that’s what he always says!” Which of course led me to ask for some eskimo kisses.
Bay Area Pride at Great America
Bay Area Pride’s Inaugural Year - uniting the Bay’s colorful LGBTQIA+ communities, families, and allies for a celebration of diversity, inclusivity and joy.
If you’ve ever felt like an outsider, like you have to dim your light to survive in this world, you know how important it is to have a space where you can truly be free. Bay Area Pride might have been in it’s inaugural year- but the community feeling was so strong.
I had the honor of being invited by my good friend Sarah, the owner and creative behind Made by Mocha. She’s so friendly that within a few mins of arriving she knew all the other vendor names and becoming their best friend.
The day was capped with amazing performances by tons of Bay Area talent including Miss Queera Knightly and Red Corvette, a Prince Cover band. To give the feeling of all the color of Pride, I used all the decorations like balloons, streamers and flags to bring the rainbow to each performance!
“Bay Area Pride is more than just a single event – it’s a year-round commitment to celebrating, uplifting, and empowering our diverse LGBTQIA+ community, families, and allies. We believe that everyone deserves to feel safe, loved, and accepted for who they are.”
Connect with the Vendors!
Bay Area Pride - instagram.com/bayareapride2k/
Made by Mocha - instagram.com/madebymocha/
Preppy Parties - instagram.com/preppy_.parties/
Miss Queera Knightly - instagram.com/missqueeranightly/
Casey and Connor
Casey and Connor’s fun and goofy engagement session in Petaluma California was filled with lots of fall color, multiple locations and boots to die for.
I didn’t give Casey and Connor a choice to choose anyone else as their engagement and wedding photographer. Within 10 mins of them getting engaged I was offering my congratulations and demanding my right to photograph their lives. After 10 years of friendship (ok, 9.5 years), I felt I could be a little more forward than I normally am.
As natives to Northern California, Casey and Connor settled in Petaluma. It’s this sleepy little town just outside of Napa with a cute little river running through and a park downtown which we’d planned to meet at. It would have been an adorable little park, however upon arrival I discovered a there was a rally being held! Thankfully, just around the corner and along the water was looked like open space for dogs.
I’m not sure how the dogs lucked out, but there were brilliant orange and red trees, soft tall grasses, yellow leaves on the ground, and curvaceous pathways. As we began talking, I realized what makes Casey and Connor both special and perfect for each other. They embrace each other’s quirks and love each other so wholly its impossible to not root for them. Casey is a bit taller than Connor and where most people would want to hide this, she brought her boots to EXTEND the height!
As we started to head to our second location, Connor suggested we just check out the bridge over the water on the other side of the parking lot. The way the sun was diffused behind the town’s buildings created this perfect glow behind them. It was here we really got to play with what makes them unique as a couple. They love to bend and explore gender roles. So rather than your typical shots where the male is in the “power” position, we replaced with Casey.
Before their session, Casey had confided that she was not a fan of the soft smiles trend and wouldn’t be doing them. I’m so thankful she did because it gave me the opportunity to tell her how beautiful your real emotions are. Styled and posed are gorgeous of course, and there is no competition against a perfect representation of your love.
There are so many blessings to living in such a beautiful state and one of the best is all the epic scenery we have within minutes. Only 10 mins from our downtown location, Helen Putnam Regional Park offers stunning views of the valley and a cattail pond just a short walk from the parking lot. With the sun a little high still, we started at the cattail pond and worked our way back to the cars, stopping to get the ring shots in the fading light.
As we said our goodbyes, Casey and Connor told me that they had been so nervous before their session but somewhere in the middle they realized they were having so much fun they forgot that we were there to take photos which is the easiest way to make my heart sing with joy.
I have an addiction
And it’s not more cowbell.
It’s definitely photography. Got you a little worried there huh? Sorry, I am not a drinker and you won’t catch me queueing for a lotto ticket. But the first thing I do everyday is check my photography groups on Facebook. Did someone post a question overnight? Do they need assistance? My workouts everyday are filled with education to distract my burning muscles. Stuck waiting on the kids in car line - better check out what my favorite photography podcasts are up to!
However I am terrible at is sharing my own work. Which is where this new blog series comes in. This is going to be my safe space to share all the things that I love and are making me happy.
I love plants and flowers and the beauty of nature. Alas the ability to cultivate it in my own home and yard is something that has escaped me. I have a few plants that come back every year or I can neglect but will still keep on keeping on. But I YEARN for a lush, magical garden like that in the book The Secret Garden.
While I was in my happy place laying in the dirt, Ruby and her best friend Richey shared some snacks and bounced in his trampoline. I’m so lucky to have such a talented and skilled friend who lets me come feed my addiction and takes care of the kids for me.
Purim with Chabad of Tracy
Purim Celebration with Chabad of Tracy and featuring a fire show with the TikTok Rabbi Izzy Adelist!
Not only was this my first Purim, it was Chabad of Tracy’s first Purim in their new location AND Dovber’s first birthday! The moment I walked into the backyard, I knew Faigy’s sister Blumie was with us in spirit from all the beautiful decorations. Blumie held a women’s gathering a few months ago, teaching women in the community some simple ways to dress your table for every occasion and it was evident Faigy had been taking notes!
Linoy and Eran Even-Kesef
The community gathered in costumes and with noise -makers for the readings. It’s tradition to make a ton of noise when Haman’s name is read, and the kids really love it. Ruby a little too much as she kept making noise even when Haman’s name wasn’t read. Oops!
It wouldn’t be a Chabad event without lots of good food! Fresh bread rolls, cooling salads, braised chicken and these delicious rosemary garlic potatoes kept bellies full! Hamantashen overnighted from New York for dessert.
Dovber’s birthday cake!
One of my favorite parts of the night was Dovber’s birthday celebration. I have been so blessed to get to see him grow up over the last year. Levi and Faigy were expecting him when we first met them the November before they moved to Tracy. He was just a few months old when they made the journey across the country and we finally got to meet him! We’ve spent a lot of time hanging out and he’s always got a smile for me so he definitely ranks among my favorite kids on the planet.
Also fresh from New York, the TikTok Rabbi Izzy Adelist impressed kids and adults alike by juggling apples and eating them. He pushed it even further by juggling knives over Levi. My kids were disappointed that they couldn’t risk their lives and after seeing him almost “drop” the knives at the end, they were glad they couldn’t. I’m sure it was a show drop to give a little extra concern to the audience before he juggled with fire, but I’m not going to tell them that!
